Device for handling general-delivery letters



No. 6I3,538. Patented Nov. I, |898. C. E. VARNEY.

DEVICE FOB HANDLING GENERAL DELIVERY LETTERS.

(Application led Feb. 25, 1897.)

v(No Model.)

Attorney III 'Il IE vation of my improved letter-box.

Nin STATES- PATENT Fricn.

CYNTHIA EDITH VARNEY, OF HEMLOCK, WISCONSIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,538, dated November1, 1898. Application filed February 25 1897. Serial No. 624,914. (Nomodel.)

To au whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CYNTHIA EDITH VAR- NEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hemlock, in the county of Clark and State ofVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devicesto Provide for the Handling of General-Delivery Letters; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same. This invention relates toletter-boxes; and

the object of the same is to provide a rotatable box for exhibitingletters for the purpose of enabling a person to ascertain whether thereis any mail for him without asking the postmaster, the box being soarranged that when the same is revolved the letters may be brought intoview, so that it may be ascertained whether there is any mail for agiven name without troubling the postmaster.

The invention also consists of certain other novel constructions,combinations, and arrangements of parts, all of which will behereinafter particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is an ele- Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the saine, showing thedevice positioned behind a partition. Fig. 3 is a transverse section onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of thespringclasps for holding the letters. Y Y

Referring to said drawings, l indicates an Octagon-shaped box, which isadapted to revolve upon a supporting-post 2, extending therethrough.Upon the'bottom of the cylinder is the circular rack 3, which is engagedby the cog-wheel 4, journaled upon the shaft 5, which is supported bythe post. Upon the shaft is a crank 6, by ,means of which it is operatedand the box rotated.

Upon the sides of the box, at the upper end thereof, are the letters ofthe alphabet, Af 13, and C being on one side, and'so on through theentire alphabet, each side containing three letters, with the exceptionof letters ccs, T719 HU, 44V, "V: X739 Y, and Z, which are placedl fourupon a side. The letters are positioned beneath the designated letter ofthe alphabet to which they belong and are secured in position by thespring-clasps 7. These clasps 7 are formed of a single piece of wiredoubled and secured at its extremities to the side of the box. Theletter is inserted between the surface of the box and the looped portionof the clasp.

In use the box is positioned behind the partition 8 within thepostmasters office, the partition being provided with a glass window 9just in front of the box. The operating-crank extends through thepartition Within convenient reach of the public. The letters of personsnot owning boxes in which to put their mail are distributed upon thesides of the box according to the letter of the alphabet to which theybelong. When any one desires to ascertain Whether there is any mail forhim, he revolves the box by means of the crank until the side of thesame containing the designating-letter of the alphabet to which his namebelongs is brought before the glass window. In this position he canglance along down the row of letters under the indicatingletter to whichhis name belongs, and if there is a letter all that is necessary is to4call the attention of the postmaster to the same and receive it. Thusthe postmaster is not troubled by persons Wishing to ascertain Whetherthere is any mail bearing their name.

This invention is designed more especially for small post-offices,although it could of course be used in the larger offices.

From the above description it will be seen that I have produced a boxupon which letters may be secured to be brought into view by personsdesiring to ascertain if there is any mail in the office in their name,thus rendering the duties of the postmaster less irksome by the repeatedanswering of inquiries regarding the mail of individuals not rentingboxes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is'

The combination with a partition having a transparent plate therein, ofa support positioned on one side of said. partition, a drum rotatableupon said support, a rack carried by said drum, a shaft journaled atfone end in the support and projecting at its opposite IOO end throughthe partition, @pinion upon said In testimony whereof I have signed thisshaft and adapted to engage the rack, a Crank specification in thepresence of two subscribupon the projected end of the shaft for 10- ing'Witnesses.

tating the saine, the sides of said drum being CYNTHIA EDITH VARNEY. 5lettered to Correspond to the letters of the itnessesz alphabet, andspring-clasps secured on the H. H. HARTSON,

surface of the drum. J oHN STEWART.

